By Innocent Ndawula
Kwibuka Women T20 Tournament
Thursday Results
Uganda 314/2 Mali 10/10
Uganda won by 304 runs
Tanzania 105/7 Rwanda 91/8
Tanzania won by 14 runs
Friday Fixtures - Gahanga
10.30am: Rwanda vs. Mali
2.50pm: Tanzania vs. Uganda
Uganda’s Lady Cricket Cranes laid down a marker with a flurry of records enroute to scripting a magnimous 304-run defeat over Mali at the Kwibuka Women’s Twenty20 Tournament on Day Three.
The beautiful Gahanga International Cricket Stadium was the venue where all the action was witnessed. Mali had already set a world record for the lowest ever total on Tuesday, having been bowled out for 6 against Rwanda. And Uganda showed their ‘intention to kill’ when captain Rita Musamali won the toss and elected to bat first on the day.
Runs galore
Opener Proscovia Alako and captain Musamali both hit centuries for Uganda, the first time two centuries had been hit in the same innings of a women's Twenty20 International. Alako made 116 off 71 (15 boundaries), and was run out off the penultimate delivery of the innings. Musamali stayed not out on 103 off 61 (15 boundaries), having shared a 227-run stand with Alako for the second wicket off 14.1 overs. The umpires of the day deservedly adjudging Alako as the Player of the Match.
Solo wicket
Oumou Sow bowled three overs, conceding 82 runs. Mali's only wicket taker was Aicha Kone, who bowled Immaculate Nakisuuyi (34 off 18), who played in an opener’s role for the first time in her career, in the sixth over. But the Lady Cricket Cranes had already reached 82 by then. Tenin Konate gave away only 32 runs in her four overs, the only bowler with an economy rate under 10 but Mali bowled 61 extras, with as many as 30 no-balls and 28 wides.
No Mali batsman made more than 4, with six falling for ducks. Their innings was wrapped up in 11.1 overs, with Mildred Anyigo's 3 for 1 being the best figures. In the end, Mali’s 10 all out coming through after Uganda had set a rapid 314 for 2 - the highest total in all T20Is - men or women.
Tanzania in charge
But it is still Tanzania coach Hamisi Abdallah’s girls still in charge after they deafeat hosts Rwanda by 14 runs to maintain their 100 per cent run and third successive victory. Tanzania set 105 for 7 in the allotted 20 overs, but that proved just enough as Rwanda could only limp to 91 for 8 but the time the umpires called it a day.
The loss hurt for the hosts because it was their second successive loss after going down to Uganda by 30 runs on Day Two. They must now make amends when they engage Mali as Round Two bowls off in earnest on Friday. For Uganda, they will want to draw level and make amends for their opening day loss to Tanzania when they face off again in the afternoon. The tournament has T20I status and the nation with the most points at the end of it all on Sunday evening will be declared champions.
List of records broken in the match:
*Highest total in women's T20Is, beating England women's 250 for 3 against South Africa women exactly a year ago.
*The 227-run stand between Musamali and Alako is the highest for any wicket in women's T20Is. The previous best was 182 put on by Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine against South Africa women , exactly a year ago. [South Africa women played two T20Is on the same day in Taunton on June 20, 2018]
*The margin of victory (304 runs) is the highest ever by a distance. The previous best in women's T20Is was when UAE women beat China women by 189 runs in January.
*Mali have the three lowest totals in women's T20Is, having incredibly achieved those on three consecutive days.
*The 61 extras Mali gave up are the third most in women's T20Is.
*The 82 runs Oumou Sow conceded are the most ever for Women's T20Is. The most ever conceded in men's cricket is 81 (in four overs) by Sarmad Anwar in a domestic match in Pakistan.
Additional reporting by ESPNCricinfo